The 11th Bell Helicopter Armed Forces bowl drew to a close Monday afternoon, ending in a 24-6 victory for the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy. Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds took home the MVP hardware after the game, becoming the fifth quarterback to win MVP honors in the game, and the first since 2007 win California quarterback Kevin Riley won the game’s award.

“It’s great to be champions of the bowl game,” said Reynolds. “This award is a tribute to everyone on the team. It was a great win for Navy.”

The Midshipmen received the opening kickoff and methodically marched down the field on the game’s first drive, grounding and pounding Middle Tennessee with their triple option attack. Reynolds found the end zone on the 10th play of the drive, punching it in from three yards out and giving the Midshipmen a lead they would not relinquish.

The touchdown was Reynolds’ 30th of the season, making him only the fourth player in NCAA history to eclipse the mark behind Barry Sanders, Montee Ball, and Colorado State’s Kapri Bibbs, who surpassed the mark on December 21st in the most recent installment of the New Mexico Bowl.

“It’s huge. You can just say the name Barry Sanders and you can stop right there,” said Reynolds about joining such rarified air. “He was probably the greatest college football player there ever was, and to be in the conversation with guys like that is just a humbling experience. I never thought that I would be in that category. But as much credit as I’ve gotten, it has to be shuffled to everyone else. It takes 11 guys to make a play go.”

With the Armed Forces Bowl victory, the Midshipmen moved their final record to 9-4, tied for their best record since finishing with 10 wins in 2009.

Setting the Stage
• Navy and Middle Tennessee State will meet on the gridiron for the first time when the two square off on Monday, Dec. 30 at Amon G. Carter Stadium (50,000) in Fort Worth, Texas in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Kickoff is set for 10:45 am local time, 11:45 am in Annapolis.
• Navy enters the contest looking to win a bowl game for the first time since 2009. The Mids have lost five of their last six bowl games. A victory would also give Navy at least nine wins for the fifth time in the last 10 years.
• ESPN will televise the game with Beth Mowins, Joey Galloway and Paul Carcaterra on the call.
• ESPN Radio will also broadcast the game nationally with Mark Neely and Tom Ramsey calling the action.

Navy To Play Middle Tennessee State In Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
• Navy (8-4) will play Middle Tennessee State (8-4) in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Monday, Dec. 30 in Ft. Worth, Texas. Kickoff is set for 10:45 am (11:45 am in Annapolis) at Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University and will be televised nationally by ESPN and broadcast nationally by ESPN Radio.
• The Armed Forces Bowl is Navy’s 19th bowl game all-time and the school’s 10th in the last 11 years. This will be the fifth time that Navy has played in the state of Texas for a bowl game and the first since the Mids 35-13 rout of Missouri in the 2009 Texas Bowl in Houston. Navy has also played in the 2003 EV1.net Houston Bowl (lost to Texas Tech, 38-14), the 1964 Cotton Bowl in Dallas (lost to Texas, 28-6) and the 1958 Cotton Bowl in Dallas (beat Rice, 20-7).
• The bowl game will mark the first meeting between Navy and Middle Tennessee State. The Blue Raiders will enter the game having won their final five contests and scoring 40 or more points in four of their final five games.
• Texas and Tennessee are two of Navy’s most highly-recruited areas as the Midshipmen have 18 players from Texas and nine from Tennessee.
• Tickets for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl are on sale now at: http://bit.ly/1bqibUX
• Ticket prices are $30 (Lower Level & Upper Level End Zone), $40 (Upper Level Sideline), and $50 (Lower Level Sideline). The only way to sit with the Navy contingent is to buy your tickets through the Navy Ticket Office.
• Fans can also purchase tickets to sponsor midshipmen and enlisted personnel and their families for $50 per ticket. Donated tickets are 100% tax deductible.
• The Naval Academy class that donates the most tickets receives a 30 percent discount on football season tickets for 2014 for every member that donates four or more tickets. Any individual that donates 10 tickets or more will receive a 30 percent discount on the 2014 season ticket package regardless of class affiliation. Be sure to donate in your correct ticket account that signifies you as a USNA Alumni.
• “We strongly encourage Navy fans to buy their bowl tickets directly from the Naval Academy Athletic Association,” said Gladchuk. “It is very important for this game and for future Navy bowl considerations for our fans to purchase tickets through the NAAA. If you can’t make it to the game, we ask that Navy fans buy tickets for our midshipmen and enlisted personnel which will allow us to create the usual pageantry of Navy football.”

Navy Bowl History
• The 2013 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be Navy’s 19th bowl appearance and the 10th in the last 11 years.
• Navy owns a 7-10-1 bowl game record.

Scouting Middle Tennessee State
• Middle Tennessee State enters the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl with an 8-4 record and having won five straight contests. The Blue Raiders have scored at least 42 points in four of those five wins.
• MTSU owns victories over Western Carolina (45-24), Memphis (17-15), Florida Atlantic (42-35 in OT), Marshall (51-49), UAB (24-21), Florida International (48-0), Southern Miss (42-21) and UTEP (48-17).
• The Blue Raiders have lost to North Carolina (40-20), BYU (37-10), East Carolina (24-17) and North Texas (34-7).
• Sophomore running back Jordan Parker leads the MTSU rushing attack with 741 yards and six touchdowns on 145 carries, while junior Reggie Whatley has carried the ball 93 times for 631 yards and three touchdowns.
• Senior quarterback Logan Kilgore has completed 197 of his 322 pass attempts (.612) for 2,289 yards and 16 touchdowns.
• Senior wide receiver Tavarres Jefferson has caught 41 passes for 532 yards and five touchdowns, while junior Marcus Henry has 36 catches for 528 yards and three touchdowns.
• The Middle Tennessee defense is led by sophomore linebacker T.T. Barber, who has 112 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss and three interceptions. Strong safety Kevin Byard has 92 tackles, five interceptions and one forced fumble.
• As a team, Middle Tennessee is ranked third in the country in fumbles recovered (16), fifth in turnovers gained (31), ninth in turnover margin (1.0), 10th in fewest penalties per game (4.0), 14th in tackles for a loss allowed (4.33), 15th in fumbles lost (6), 19th in in third down conversions (.473), 23rd in pass sacks allowed (1.25) and 25th in rushing offense (208.3).
• Individually, defensive end Dearco Nolan is ranked 10th in forced fumbles per game (0.33) and Barber is 17th in solo tackles per game (5.8)

Reynolds, Navy Run To 34-7 Win Over Army
• PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Navy sophomore quarterback Keenan Reynolds ran for 136 yards and scored three touchdowns (47, 11 and 1 yard) to lead the Midshipmen to a 34-7 victory over Army, their 12th straight in the series.
• He has 29 rushing touchdowns, breaking the NCAA single-season mark for a quarterback previously held by Ricky Dobbs (Navy, 2009) and Collin Klein (Kansas State, 2011), both of whom had 27.
• Reynolds ran 30 times on a frozen, snow-covered field. He also caught a 2-point conversion pass on a trick play following his second touchdown.
• His third score – with 46 seconds left in a lopsided game – gave him 176 points for the season, breaking the school record of 174 set by Bill Ingram in 1917.
• Navy (8-4) won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy for the second consecutive season and ninth time in 11 years. The trophy is awarded to the service academy with the most victories in games between Navy, Army and Air Force.
• The Midshipmen haven’t lost to Army since 2001 and lead the series 58-49-7. Navy’s 12-game run is the longest in the history of the rivalry that began in 1890.
• Niumatalolo became the second coach in Navy history to start his coaching career 6-0 against Army, matching Paul Johnson (2002-07).
• Army (3-9) fumbled five times and was intercepted once in its fifth straight defeat. Embattled coach Rich Ellerson fell to 0-5 against the Midshipmen and 20-41 overall since taking the job in December 2008.
• The snow that was forecast in the morning hours began during the pregame pageantry that makes this game a one-of-a-kind spectacle. Making his first collegiate start, Army quarterback A.J. Schurr lost the handle on the wet football with his arm cocked to throw. Teammate Larry Dixon recovered, but the 20-yard loss doomed the Black Knights to end their first possession with a punt.
• Schurr fumbled on the next drive, too, and this time Navy recovered at its own 38. That ended his day.
• Following the turnover, Navy fullback Quinton Singleton burst through a hole in the middle and ran 58 yards to the Army 4, setting up a field goal for a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.
• Angel Santiago came in at quarterback for the Black Knights at just about the same time the intensity of the snow increased. On fourth-and-3 at the Navy 33, Terry Baggett lost three yards.
• Midway through the second period, Navy fullback Noah Copeland ran 39 yards for a touchdown to make it 10-0.
• With 2:38 left in the half, Reynolds gingerly picked his way through the Army defense on his record-tying touchdown run. Navy went into halftime leading 17-0.
• In the third quarter, the snow turned to rain and Santiago did his best to make a game of it. After throwing a 29-yard pass to Xavier Moss, the junior quarterback scored on a 4-yard run to get the Black Knights to 17-7.
• Reynolds answered with an 11-play drive that produced a field goal. Army then failed to convert a fourth-and-3 from its own 42, a futile gamble that all but assured the Black Knights another frustrating loss against their far more successful service academy rivals.
• Reynolds scored his record-breaking touchdown with 6:22 left, and the conversion pass from wide receiver Brendan Dudeck made it 28-7.

Service Academy Dominance
• Navy has been the dominant Service Academy over the last decade plus, winning 21 of the last 23 meetings (.913) against Air Force and Army. The Mids have posted a 91-49 (.650) record since 2003, won nine CIC Trophies in the last 11 years and have gone to 10 bowl games in the last 11 years.

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced Sunday morning that Navy has sold all 10,000 of its allotted bowl tickets for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Navy will play Middle Tennessee State tomorrow morning at 10:45 AM (CT) at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

Among the 10,000 tickets sold includes 5,000 tickets that were donated by Navy fans to send Midshipmen and enlisted personnel and their families to the game. This year marks the 10th-consecutive bowl game that Navy has sold out all of the bowl tickets assigned to Navy.

“Once again, Navy has proven why the Naval Academy family is annually one of the best in postseason ticket sales in the nation,” said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. “This is the 10th year that 100 percent of our bowl ticket allocation has been sold in support of a great game day turnout with Navy Blue and Gold throughout the stadium. In addition, we have proudly accommodated thousands of those who wear the cloth of our nation and their families with tickets donated by the Navy Football family. Thanks to everyone who continues to support Navy football, the Academy and the fleet.”

The streak started in 2003 when Navy brought 25,000 fans to the Houston Bowl and nearly half of the student body attended the game. In 2004, Navy sold 18,000 tickets to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco.

In 2005, Navy sold 25,000 tickets for the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego and in 2006 the Mids sold 20,000 to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. Navy sold 25,000 tickets for the Poinsettia Bowl in 2007 and 20,000 for the Eagle Bank Bowl in Washington, DC in 2008.

Navy sold 20,000 tickets for the Texas Bowl in 2009, 13,000 for the Poinsettia Bowl in 2010 and 12,000 the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco in 2012.

FORT WORTH, Texas – If Keenan Reynolds is in a club, there’s a pretty good chance it’s a select one.

By serving as the starting quarterback at Navy, the sophomore signal caller’s name sits alongside the historic institution’s greats, a list highlighted by Roger Staubach, the 1963 Heisman Trophy winner turned Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl MVP. As if that isn’t enough, Reynolds now finds himself approaching another exclusive fraternity–players who have scored 30 or more rushing touchdowns in a season. That list, headed up by another Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer, running back Barry Sanders, is just two names long.

After well over a century of college football, only Oklahoma State’s Sanders (37 in 1988) and current NFL running back and former Wisconsin Badger Montee Ball (33 in 2011) have accomplished that feat. Additionally, only five players have ever accounted for at least 30 scores, combining rushing and receiving, in college football history.

Reynolds, who leads the nation in scoring (14.7 points per game), already rates as the all-time single-season leader for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 29 after scoring three times against Army in the regular-season finale. He will get his chance to add to that total, and join Sanders and Ball, on Dec. 30 when Navy takes on Middle Tennessee in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

“It’s indescribable,” Reynolds said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I see a season going like this. And I like to set high goals.”

Reynolds’ illustrious 2013 campaign was highlighted by a game few players could ever fathom. That display came on Nov. 22, when the native of Antioch, Tenn., found pay dirt seven times rushing the ball against San Jose to tie an NCAA record for most touchdowns scored against an FBS opponent.

The well-known, but not well-defended, Navy offense that Reynolds has thrived in is the triple option. It’s a system that gives the quarterback the keys to keep the offensive machine running. “It fits my personality,” Reynolds said. “I enjoy being able to be in control. I like to make decisions on the fly and get our offense into the right play.”

His high school team used multiple offenses, primarily the Delaware Wing-T. But you wouldn’t know the triple option was relatively new to Reynolds. When he took over the starting job last year as a freshman, the Mids were 1-3. He helped right the ship, and Navy now has a 14-6 record when he starts under center.

“He’s just a wonderful young man,” head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “When you look at him, he’s not a very physically impressive guy. He’ll tell you he’s 5-11, but he’s 5-10, 185 pounds. But he’s the smartest quarterback that I’ve been around. He’s all about numbers, he gets you in the right play and he gets the ball to all the right people.”

Fifty years ago this week, Staubach took his Navy team to the Cotton Bowl to face No. 1 Texas. In 2013, Reynolds also brings his troops to the Lone Star State for its 10th bowl game in 11 years. The tradition of Navy football is not lost on the quarterback.

“It’s spectacular,” Reynolds said. “It’s just an honor to put on the jersey of all the guys who have played at Navy, not just of Heisman Trophy winners, but of Admirals, Chiefs of Staff, other great men. It’s an inspiration to be a part of the legacy and brotherhood. I wouldn’t want to play for any other staff.”

FORT WORTH, Texas – Following Saturday’s conference championship games and the final selection of teams for the 35 college football bowl games, the U.S. Naval Academy now knows that Middle Tennessee State University will be its opponent in this month’s Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas. The Midshipmen will meet the Blue Raiders in the 2013 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl to be played in Fort Worth, on Monday, Dec. 30, 2013.

The 11th edition of this postseason college football bowl game, which is more than a bowl game with its military theme and involvement, will kick off at 10:45 a.m. (CST) from Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of TCU. The game will air on ESPN, ESPN Radio and will be carried worldwide on the Armed Forces Network.

By defeating UTEP, 48-17 on Nov. 30 at home in Murfreesboro, Tenn., the Blue Raiders, led by Head Coach Rick Stockstill, finished the regular season with an 8-4 overall record in Conference USA.

“It is a distinct honor and privilege to have both the U.S. Naval Academy and Middle Tennessee in this year’s salute to the military of our country. The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl and the City of Fort Worth are very excited to host both of these teams, their alumni as well as their fans,” said Brant Ringler, Executive Director of the patriotic bowl. “I can assure you this game will add significantly to the legacy of this great event. The game itself will be the centerpiece to a memorable week of colorful festivities in the heart of Texas.”

Navy, coached by Ken Niumatalolo, has a 7-4 record so far this season playing with poised passion and dedicated determination and has some unfinished regular-season business as they continue to prepare for Saturday’s annual rivalry showdown with the U.S. Military Academy (Army) in Philadelphia. Navy, which is on a three-game winning streak, became bowl-eligible on Nov. 16 when it defeated South Alabama, 42-14, at home in Annapolis, Md, allowing the Midshipmen to honor their commitment to play in Fort Worth.

While the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl is played in honor of the armed forces and has previously hosted the U.S. Military Academy (2010) and the U.S. Air Force Academy (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012), this is the first year that the bowl is hosting the Naval Academy. The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl is the only bowl game that has hosted all three U.S. Military Academies.

The Blue Raiders head to Fort Worth riding a five-game winning streak after going 6-2 in league play to finish tied for second in the East Division of C-USA..

COACHES’ LOGS

Navy’s Niumatalolo is in his sixth season at the helm of the Midshipmen and 16th overall with Navy football. During his first five-plus years as head coach at Navy, Niumatalolo’s Mids have compiled a record of 47-30 (.610) including appearances in four post-season bowl games plus this year’s BHAFB. He moved into third all-time in Navy career coaching wins this season. Niumatalolo has also been selected one of seven men in the inaugural class of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. He will be inducted Jan. 23, 2014 prior to the NFL Pro Bowl in Honolulu.

Middle Tennessee’s Stockstill is in his eighth season leading the Blue Raiders. His overall record at Middle Tennessee is 51-48 and this is the fourth bowl game he has led his school to during his tenure. A veteran coach, Stockstill has been part of the coaching staffs at Bethune-Cookman, Central Florida, Clemson, East Carolina and South Carolina before becoming head coach at Middle Tennessee in 2006. Stockstill has also been selected twice as the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year.

For more info on Middle Tennessee football, visit www.GoBlueRaiders.com.

MIDS vs. BLACK KNIGHTS

The long-time rivalry between Navy and Army is as arguably the No. 1 rivalry in all of college football. This year’s patriotic classic will be played Saturday when the Mids and the Black Knights meet on the gridiron field of battle for the 114th time. Navy holds the all-time series edge, 57-49-7, including last year’s 17-13 win over Army in Philadelphia. Both noted triple-option teams, Army leads the nation in rushing averaging 323.6 yards per game while Navy is currently third nationally with a 320.1 average.

With the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy on the line, the Navy vs. Army matchup is scheduled to kickoff Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET) on the FieldTurf of Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The game will be televised nationally on the CBS Television Network and broadcast on the Navy Radio Network.

Navy has been the most dominant service academy in the last decade plus in the battle for the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy, winning 20 of 22 (.909) meetings with Air Force and Army, including this year’s 28-10 win over Air Force.

For more Navy football info, visit www.navysports.com.ROAD TO FORT WORTH

This will mark the third time in its 11-year history that the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be held on December 30, as the 2010 and 2011 contests were both held on that date. The most recent Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl was played Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 featuring a match-up between the Rice Owls and U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons, in which the Owls claimed the bowl victory 33-14. Last year’s showcase drew an attendance of 40,754.

Owned and operated by ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN Regional Television (ERT), the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has featured the “armed forces” theme since 2006. Patriotic overtones recognizing all five branches of the service are prevalent throughout the game. Past Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have included fan-fest areas showcasing armed forces hardware; flyovers; demonstrations by several of the military’s top skydiving teams; custom homes awarded to wounded warriors; on-field induction ceremonies; armed forces bands and honor guards; the annual Great American Patriot Award presented by Armed Forces Insurance; and the Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America.

ANNAPOLIS, Md.- Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced after Saturday’s victory over South Alabama that the Naval Academy has qualified to play in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Monday, Dec. 30 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas against a projected opponent from the Mountain West. Kickoff is set for 10:45 AM in Fort Worth (11:45 AM in Annapolis) and will be televised nationally by ESPN. This will be Navy’s 10th bowl game in the last 11 seasons.

This will be Navy’s fifth trip to Texas for a bowl game and the first since Navy’s 35-13 rout of Missouri in the 2009 Texas Bowl in Houston. Navy has also played in the 2003 EV1.net Houston Bowl (lost to Texas Tech, 38-14), the 1964 Cotton Bowl in Dallas (lost to Texas, 28-6) and the 1958 Cotton Bowl in Dallas (beat Rice, 20-7).

“We are excited about the opportunity to travel to Fort Worth and play in a first-class bowl game,” said Gladchuk. “The city of Fort Worth, the stadium, the hospitality from the community and the bowl administration present as fine a postseason experience as we could possibly enjoy. The Academy is sincerely grateful to Brant Ringler and his staff for inviting us and setting the stage for our team to earn an enjoyable trip to the great city of Fort Worth and an inspiring matchup versus an opponent from the Mountain West Conference.”

“I am very happy for our young men and our program that we are going back to a bowl game for the 10th time in the last 11 years,” said Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo. “Right now our only focus is to finish out the regular season on the right note by beating San Jose State and Army and winning the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, but we are thrilled to be going to Fort Worth.”

“Congratulations to the U.S. Naval Academy football team on becoming bowl eligible for the fifth time in six years under Coach Niumatalolo’s watch,” said Brant Ringler, the Executive Director of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. “The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl and the City of Fort Worth are very excited to roll out the red carpet for Navy’s football team, its midshipmen, alumni and fans. I’ve witnessed firsthand the pageantry and tradition that is Navy football and truly look forward to it all being put in display for our city and fans to enjoy.”

The 2013 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be played in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday, Dec. 30, 2013. The 11th edition of this postseason college football bowl game will kick off at 10:45 a.m. (CT) from Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of TCU. The game will air on ESPN and ESPN Radio.

This year’s Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl is slated to feature a team from the Mountain West Conference versus the U.S. Naval Academy, pending bowl eligibility. While the bowl game played in honor of the armed forces has previously hosted the U.S. Military Academy (2010) and the U.S. Air Force Academy (2007-2009, 2012), this is the first year that the bowl is contracted with the Naval Academy.
“The Monday kickoff will be great for our out of town guests to enjoy Fort Worth over the weekend and then watch our game,” said Brant Ringler, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl executive director. “We are excited to host the Naval Academy and know the Mountain West will have a worthy opponent.”

This will mark the third year for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl to be held on December 30, as the 2010 and 2011 contests were both held on that date. The most recent Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl was played Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 featuring a match-up between the Rice Owls and U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons, in which the Owls claimed the bowl victory 33-14. The 2012 showcase drew an attendance of 40,754 and the largest TV audience in the game’s history with an average of 2,584,000 households. The ESPN telecast had a 2.6 average household coverage rating – marking the bowl’s second-highest rating in the event history.

Owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has featured the “armed forces” theme since 2006. Patriotic overtones recognizing all five branches of the service are prevalent throughout the game. Past Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have included fan-fest areas showcasing armed forces hardware; flyovers; demonstrations by several of the military’s top skydiving teams; custom homes awarded to wounded warriors; on-field induction ceremonies; armed forces bands and honor guards; the annual Great American Patriot Award presented by Armed Forces Insurance; and the Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America.